After weeks of low-key teasers, from vacation flicks to offseason party cameos, Patrick Mahomes stopped playing timid and addressed the biggest question hanging over Kansas City. Throughout the offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs—and their fans—were stuck on one thing: Will Mahomes be ready come Week 1? Now, we've got our answer.
Mahomes just hit IG. And Chiefs' Kingdom is reading between the lines.
Could Patrick Mahomes be ready by September?
QB1 dropped a new post on Instagram featuring in-game shots, rocking number 15, a Chiefs hoodie, signature Adidas cleats, and tunnel walk energy. caption? Just a ⏰ (clock emoji). And if you know Mahomes, you know the clock means only one thing – he's gearing up.
Mahomes is still rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered in Week 15 of the 2025 season. He went under the knife on December 15, with an expected recovery window of 9-12 months - so we're looking at September at the earliest.
In February, Andy Reid said that Mahomes was grinding. Logging seven-hour rehabilitation days at the facility. Classic QB1 behavior. But let's be real: ACL recovery is not a straightforward path. There are outages, failures, and occasional audible noises. Mahomes probably has his sights set on Week 1, but nothing has been decided yet.
And the Chiefs are playing it smart. He made a move on March 16, trading with the Jets for Justin Fields. That's your insurance policy; QB2 on paper, but he's more than capable of holding down Mahomes if he doesn't get the clearance.
